Cold-tire-shrinking machine.



PATENTED JUNE 6, 190,5.

s. N. HOUSE.

GOLD TIRE SHRINK'ING'MAOHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0016,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 5 .s V v. J

withe ow PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905.

No. 791,698. 4 s. N. HOUSE.

GOLD TIRE SHRINKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 001.16. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL NELSON HOUSE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COLD-TlBE-SHRINKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,693, dated June 6, 1905.

i Application filed October 6, 1904:. Serial No. 227,517. 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL NELsoN HOUSE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at St.

Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ()old- Tire-Shrinking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

i This invention relates to cold-tire-shrinking machines of the kind employing fixed metal gripping devices and additional gripping devices movable toward or from the same, an instance of which general construction may befound in my Patent No. 690,523, dated Janu- My 7, 1902.

The present invention has for its object to provide convenient means for adjusting the gripping-wedges to tires of different diameters, to hold the fellies and tires more per 'fectly in position, to bridge the interval between the ends of the adjusting-plates and insure a solid continuous base for the tire durting the upper clamping devices and one pair of gripping-wedges. tical central section of the operative end of the machine,-omitting the upper clamping de- Fig. 4 represents a vervices. Fig. 5 represents a detail elevation of the actuating-wheels and proximate parts, the levers being broken away.

Fig. 6 represents a detail perspective view of one of the gripping-wedges. Fig. 7 represents a detail plan view of a modification of the gripping devices.

A designates the base-plate of the machine, B and O represent the two parallel side walls of the frame bolted to said base-block, and D represents a transverse block connecting the tops of said side walls at one end of the said frame. The upper face of this block is provided With a broad approximately V-shaped recess D longitudinal of the machine, having guide-flanges d at the sides. Opposed to this is a similar transverse block E, likewise provided with a recess E in its top and guided on the tops of the side walls B O, being also provided with side flanges e. The proximate ends of these blocks D E have integral depending lugs D E, recessed at d e to receive the ends of a helical spring F, which separates them when pressure is withdrawn. The block E is provided in its under side with a recess E to receive the nose or operative end of the lever G, hereinafter mentioned. This between the said side walls B O and driven either 'by hand or by mechanical power, as preferred. In the former case I employ a hand-lever J, carrying a pawl j, which engages and rotates step by step a ratchet-wheel K, turning with said pinion. A pivoted retaining-dog L also engages the said teeth to hold the said wheels between the strokes of the lever. By preference the latter is loosely mounted on the shaft 6 of said pinion and wheel and the retaining-pawl is pivoted between the two side walls B O. The pawl j may be turned so as to bring its upper end into use, the lever then working reversely.

The tops of the side walls B O are curved to roughly approximate the curvature of a vehicle-wheel tire, and the recessed tops of blocks D E between the flanges d and e have a similar curvature. As in the patent aforesaid, the tire is gripped by two pairs of grip ent curvature, I insert under each pair of grip- I00 keys or gripping-wedges an adjusting-plate O or P and drive under the outer ends of said plates adjusting-wedges O P to a greater or less degree, according to the size of the wheel and the curvature of the tire. In this way the grip-keys or gripping-wedges resting on said plates will be adjusted into position to firmly grip at all points of their length the edges of any tire placed between them, as in Fig. 1. For use with narrower tires one or more plates Z may be inserted behind the gripping-wedges, or broader wedges may be used. A bridge-plate 50, curved approximately to the circle of a wagon-wheel, is fitted into the device between the proximate ends of these adjusting-plates, bridging the inter-- val and resting on the blocks D and E so as to make a solid practically continuous base for the tire. For clamping the wheel, and especially the felly and tire, in position I employ a clamping foot or block R, which bears on the felly and tire above the said bridgeplate and proximate parts of the said adjusting-plates O P. It is carried by a rigid downward arm R of a lever S, one end of which is curved slightly upward to prevent dislodgment, and bears against a fulcrumpin T movable for adjustment from one to another of a vertical series of holes a in a bar U, removably but rigidly attached to the frame of the machine by passing its screwthreaded end down through a perforated lug t of said frame and turning a nut t on it below the said lug. The other end of lever S is loosely attached at S to a rod V, sliding vertically in a guide-lug 25 corresponding in position and attachment to lug t aforesaid, but on the other side of the machine. A handlever W is pivoted to the lower end of this rod and engages with its short inner end a vertical rack X, integral with side wall B, any one of the teeth of this fixed rack serving as a fulcrum and the leverage varying as a higher or lower tooth is chosen. A rack w is also formed on the upper face of this lever to engage the lower end of a long locking dog or pawl W which is pivoted at its upper end to the upper part of said rod V. Such engagement holds the clamping-foot in the position to which it has been brought by the downward movement of the outer end of lever W.

The movable block E is provided with a transverse opening, recess, or passage E, permitting a take-up key E communicating with recess E aforesaid, to be passed in across the said block after the lever G has moved it as far as is practicable by the contact before described and has drawn back for another stroke. In this second stroke the said lever acts on the said key, and thereby forces the said block still nearer to the fixed block D. Thus the tire may be shrunk more than would otherwise be possible Without taking the wheel from the machine.

The block D may be provided with lugs which enter recesses of the side walls B C and help to hold said block securely in place. The inner proximate ends of the blocks 1) E are provided with overlapping alternately-arranged lugs (F and 0 (preferably one of the former and two of the latter,) which are square on top and support the bridge-plate aforesaid. The side walls of these blocks flare inward toward their proximate ends to receive the wedge-pieces of corresponding form, respectively, in contact therewith. These wedgepieces are partly hollowed out for lightness, as shown, and present the serrations of their inner faces in a straight line against the edges of the tire. By preference theseserrated faces are narrow, as shown, each of them being formed in the inner edge of a horizontal bara part of the wedge-piece.

The frame of the machine is thickened, as usual, at the points of chief strain. The retaining-dog L is provided with a treadle in order that it may be conveniently opened by the operators foot either to engage or release thewheelK,asdesired. 'lhelonglocking-dog \V as already indicated, constitutes a brace or prop for the rod V and lever \V, which it engages, and its upper end 10 is preferably bifurcated to straddle the said rod for convenience in pivoting and greater stability. The side walls B C of the frame constitute long supporting-standards and are sometimes termed so. Of course I am not limited to their precise form, arrangement, or attachment nor to those of divers other details, which may. be considerably varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

The tops of blocks D E are preferably provided with raised ridges 1 gj, crossing the bottoms of recesses D and serving as stops for the inner ends of plates O P, so that the adjusting-wedges will merely tilt these plates up and not move them out of place. The interval between these ridges y is sufiicient to allow block E to approach block D without said ridges coming in contact with the ends of the interposed bridge-plate.

The general operation of the machine is sub stantially as set forth in the patent aforesaid. The felly and tire being set into the channel of the blocks D E and resting on the adjusting-plates, the grip-keys or gripping-wedges are then driven in at their sides, the bridgeplate put in place, and the adjusting-wedges driven under the adjusting-plates far enough to adapt the position of said grip-keys or gripping-wedges to the curvature of the tire between them. The clamping devices are then applied, as already described, forcing the clamping-foot down on the folly and looking it there to bind the tire in place. The lever G- is then operated by lever J and wheel K to force the block E toward the block D, there- D by the expansion of the interposed spring,.

facilitating the removal of the wheel with the tire tighened thereon.

- herent in such work.

As this machine operates by direct leverage applied to the best advantage and with excellent provisions against slip and lost motion, it is capable of exerting a very great compressing force and tightening thick and heavy tires very speedily and efiiciently without the application of heat. The action of the machine is to lessen the diameter of the tire by forcibly compressing that part of it which is at the outset between the blocks D and E without roughening its surface or giving said tire any appearance of inequality or irregularity. After the operation of shrinking the tire is not perceptibly different, although its material is necessarily more compact in the part operated on than elsewhere. Hitherto cold-tire-tightening machines have been limited in their operation to thin and light tires by reason of the difiiculties in- It is a great advantage to be enabled to deal efficiently with all tires, light and heavy, using a machine adaptable to different curvatures and everywhere presenting a solid tire-support with a firm grip at all points and simple in construction as well as very strong.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tire-tightening machine, two parts having recesses to receive a wheel-tire, in combination with two pairs of grip-keys fitting into said recesses to grip the edges of the said tire, means for bringing the said parts together, adjusting-plates arranged under the said grip-keys and adjusting-wedges inserted under the said adjusting-plates to adjust the grip-keys to tires of different diameters substantially as set forth.

2. In a tire-tightening machine, the combination of means for supporting a tire and means for gripping and shrinking the same with a clamping-foot bearing on the felly above said tire, a lever from which the said clamping-foot is suspended, a fixed rack, an operating-lever engaging said rack, a rod connecting the said' levers and a brace or pawl connected to said rod and engaging a rack on said operating-lever to look all the parts of the clamping mechanism in position substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my nam to this specification in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL NELSON HOUSE.

Witnesses:

MARTIN MILLER, WILLO M. JOHNSON. 

